NAO and winter temperature variability in southern Europe

[1] Here we explore the relationship between the NAO and the temperatures in southern Europe, using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data to study the synoptic situations associated with different phases and intensities of the NAO as well as with different temperature anomalies. The results show that temperatures in southern Europe are sensitive not only to the phase of the NAO, but also to the exact location of the NAO centers of action. Opposite temperature anomalies are found to be associated with similar NAO index values, leading to linear correlation coefficients between the index and the temperature series close to zero. This does not necessarily imply a negligible influence of NAO on southern European temperatures, but it may indicate a complex and non-linear relationship, not adequately represented by a simple NAO index. We conclude that the association between the NAO variability and the temperatures in southern Europe substantially differs with respect to central and northern Europe, where no such sensitivity regarding the location of the NAO action centers is found.

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